Cruise warning as dozens of UK passengers fall ill after bug outbreak on P&O ship
A gastrointestinal illness has affected over 70 people on board a ship during a month-long voyage.
A gastrointestinal illness has affected over 70 people on board P&O Cruises' Arcadia during a month-long voyage from Southampton to the US and Canada.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 65 passengers and 10 crew members have reported symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea, although the exact cause remains unknown.
The CDC boarded the ship while it was docked in New York from 18 to 20 September, but no passengers disembarked due to the illness. P&O Cruises stated they had implemented enhanced sanitisation measures to maintain the wellbeing of everyone on board.
A spokesperson for the British cruise line said: “Upon embarkation all guests were provided with an advisory notice with precautionary health measures for on board and on shore, as is standard procedure across our fleet. (Following reports of guests with gastrointestinal symptoms,) P&O Cruises swiftly implemented approved, proven and enhanced sanitisation protocols to uphold the wellbeing of everyone onboard.”
The 1,959-passenger Arcadia departed Southampton on 3 September, and is scheduled to return to the UK on 3 October.
This incident follows a norovirus outbreak in May 2024 on P&O’s Ventura, which affected over 500 passengers on a journey from Southampton to the Canary Islands.
The highly contagious illness spread to almost 12.3% of passengers and crew, despite "enhanced sanitation" efforts. The infection was considered so viral, the Ventura had to be deep cleaned before resuming service.
Further, multiple norovirus outbreaks were reported in April 2024, with over 150 cases on two US-based cruise ships with similar symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea, prompting public health concerns within the industry.
